Improvement in telegraph-keys



\ NITED STATES -PATENTOFEIOE oHAnLEs n. BILLINGsAND GEORGE W. s'rocKLY, oEoLEvELANn, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEeRAPH-KEVS.-

Specification 4forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,730, dated November 18, 1873; application fllod July 3,1873. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. BIL- LINGs and GEORGE W. STOGKLY, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Telegraph-Key; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof, reference .being had tomthe accompanying drawings making i art of the saine.

"Figure 1 is a plan view of the key. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is an end view.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

`This invention relates to an improved teleygraph-kcy, and the object thereof is to obtain by the usev of said key a more distinct and certain closing of the circuit, and thus insure Erm writing on the part of operators using the key, without unusual care or exertion. y The invention consists, first, in the use of two additional contact-points, 011e of which Apoints is placed on a spring, and so adjusted, by means of an ordinary adjusthig-screw, that it will make contact with the other point (which is or may be placed on an unyielding j arm) a fraction of a second before the old l points, called the hammer andanvil,77 come together.

Both of the additional contact-points may be placed on springs, and the shape and cony, struction of the springs may be changed without changing the operation of the key; or the old contact-points may one or both be Si placed upon springs, and so arranged as to y operate in a precisely similar manner, which We prefer to use as embodying our improve- 1 ments.

By this arrangement the contact-points have a slight sliding movement upon each other. Thus these faces are kept bright and free from oxide scale or dust, which, in the old key, is a considerable, annoyance. If

rounded, instead of beveled, the operation will be the same.

The second part of this invention relates to the use of beveled or sloping faces 7 to the G, being placed upon and projecting from -the lower side of a straight spring, J, and the lower one, H, being placed upon and projecting from the upper side of the unyielding arm or nger I. The spring J is fastened tothe under side of the lever at A, and the arm I fastened to the anvil at L. The faces of the contact-points G and H are beveled, as shown in Fig. 2. K is the adjusting-screw for the spring J.

The practical operation of this key is as follows: The operator adjusts the hammer and anvil D E to suit his hand by the usual adjusting-screw B. He then depresses the spring J, by means of the adjusting-screw K, until the points G and H will make contact, when the lever A is depressed a fraction of a second before the points D and E make c011- tact. y

By this arrangement contact is made certain, and the Writing of the operator is uniform and rm, and will carry distinctly over lon g circuits and through a heavy escape The advantage of beveling the faces of the points G H is, as stated above, to secureV a slight sliding motion of the points on each other, and thus prevent the accumulation of oxide, dust, or other non-conductor, which is of so frequent occurrence in using the old key.

These additional points may be attached to an old key without disturbing itspoints; or the old points may be dispensed with and a hammer and anvil of any hard material substituted. j

In the drawing, the old points are represented as usual, and are retained` so that they may be used in case of accident or injury to the additional points.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The additional contact-points G H, a-rver of a key7 of thespring or springs I'J, ranged in relation to each other7 to cooperate carrying the additional contact-points, sub- With the hammer and anvil D E of an ordi-l stantially as and for the purpose described.

nary telegraph-key, substantially as and for CHARLES H. BILLINGS.

the purpose specified. GEORGE W. STOCKLY.

2. In a telegraph-key, tlie contact-points v l provided With the beveled or rounded faces, Witnesses: substantially as and for the purpose set forth. WV. H. BURRIDGrE7 3. The combination, with the anvil and le- A. F. CORNELL. 

